Gazeta Esportiva.com
·13 February 2026
Al Hilal focus on Benzema, drop Darwin Nunez from Saudi League plans

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Yahoo sportsGazeta Esportiva.com
·13 February 2026

After the arrival of Karim Benzema at Al Hilal, coach Simone Inzaghi cut Darwin Nunez from the Saudi Championship. The league only allows foreign clubs to register eight foreign players born before 2003.
As a result, there are only five possible games left for the number 7 to play, all in the AFC Champions League. Sold to Hilal after failing to meet expectations at Liverpool, Nunez was signed for 46 million pounds in August 2025.
“The decision was difficult, but that's the job of a coach. He makes many decisions every day, even in each training session,” said Simone Inzaghi.
Multi-champion with Real Madrid and Ballon d'Or winner, Benzema joined Hilal after forcing his exit from Al Itthad. Right in his debut, the Frenchman scored three times in the team's 6-0 victory against Al-Okhdood.
“Everyone knows Benzema. He is a great champion. He doesn't need to score a hat-trick to show his potential. We are happy to have him on the team — he benefits us in every aspect, not just on the field,” said Inzaghi.
See this photo on Instagram A post shared by نادي الهلال السعودي (@alhilal)
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